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CQETRIGttT DEPOSiR 



LIFE 

EXPERIENCES 
tf 

ONE HUNDRED 

AVERAGE MEN 

BY 

WILLIAM H. STANLEY 

»l 

Author of 

"A Study in Thrift and 

Economic Independence " 

" Safeguarding the Future " 




1918 
BUFFALO, N. Y. 



»% 



s 



r r 6 



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Copyrighted by 

WIUJAM H. STANLEY 

Buffalo, N. Y. 
September, 1918. 






SEP 12 1918 



INTRODUCTION 

In the latter part of 1916 the Savings Bank 
Section of the American Bankers Association pub- 
lished a brochure with the title "Thrift — How 
to teach it — How to encourage it." Among the 
many good articles in that pamphlet is one com- 
piled by an actuary. It bears the title "Life Ex- 
periences of One Hundred Average Men." The 
writer shows the economic history of those men, 
for every ten year period, from age twenty-five, to 
and including age seventy-five. Two interesting 
tables follow; one shows the estates left by every 
one hundred men and the other shows the financial 
circumstances of every one hundred widows. 

The American Magazine for November, 1915, 
contained an article showing practically the same 
figures for ages twenty-five and sixty-five only. 

Our United States government has adopted 
these statistics in their entirety by making them a 
part of its "Textbook for Speakers on Thrift Stamps 
and War Savings Stamps," published in the early 
part of 1918 by the Treasury Department, National 
War Savings Committee. 

The charts contained in this book and the ac- 
companying text are based on the study of the 
above named magazine article and booklets. Due 
acknowledgment is made to those publications for 
permission to use the material. 

It seemed best to preserve the name of the 
original article in preparing this book. 



AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A 
PLAN WHICH STARTS A LIFE INSUR- 
ANCE ESTATE ONE SHOULD NOT 
NEGLECT TO PREPARE FOR SYSTEM- 
ATIC THRIFT BY PUTTING SOME 
MONEY IN THE SAVINGS BANK. THE 
SUM SAVED WILL PROVIDE FOR THE 
ANNUAL PREMIUM WHICH CREATES 
THE ESTATE AND WILL AT THE 
SAME TIME EARN INTEREST. 



CHART I 



CHART I. 

LIFE EXPERIENCES OF ONE HUNDRED 
AVERAGE MEN 












































































































































































































AGE 25 

AT THRESHOLD OF LIFE — HEALTHY- 
VIGOROUS— OF GOOD MENTAL AND 
PHYSICAL CAPACITY— BUT WITH NO 
MEANS, EXCEPT THEIR OWN EARNING 
POWER, TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. 



This is the age when every young man should lay the 
foundation of a life insurance estate. Never again can he 
begin it with so small a deposit. 

COPYRIGHT 1018. WM. H. STANLEY 



CHART I 
AGE TWENTY-FIVE 

EACH YOUNG MAN READY TO TAKE UP HIS 
LIFE'S WORK 

Let us now visualize our one hundred young men by 
drawing a large square made up of one hundred smaller 
ones. Each unit symbolizes a man — four square — on the 
level — standing shoulder to shoulder with his fellows — 
ready to do his part in the world's work. 

EACH HOPES FOR SUCCESS 

Here they stand before us, at the threshold of life — 
healthy — vigorous — hopeful for the future. Each man 
expects that, of course, he will attain his goal or aim. 
And that goal or that aim is generally spoken of and 
spelled "Success." In most cases that means merely the 
accumulation of material wealth or the establishment of 
a general estate. 

EVERY MAN WANTS TO ACCUMULATE MONEY 

Every young man has the desire to accumulate 
wealth and be a moneyed man. He is filled with energy 
and with a determination to win. And why should he 
not win? He has good mental and physical capacity. 
His whole life is before him. He is flushed and glowing 
with the virility and vitality of youth. So we color our 
hundred squares red to signify the red blood and courage 
of youth. What finer picture is there to contemplate in 



all this world than one hundred manly young fellows 
starting out to win fortune and success? 

NO ONE CAN PREDICT THE WINNERS OF 
SUCCESS 
What man is there, who on beholding these one hun- 
dred young men at age twenty-five, would be so bold as 
to be willing to try to point out which of them shall 
actually arrive at that desired goal of Success, whether 
it be wealth, fame or power. Dare anyone predict how 
many and which individuals shall pass in early manhood 
to that "bourn from which no traveler returns?" Final- 
ly, what human eye is keen enough to discern those who 
shall not achieve Success — but instead shall lose the 
fight and drift into that sad and pitiable state, politely 
called "economic dependence." Yes! Here they stand, 
our one hundred young men, each with his own interests, 
each with his own capacity for success or failure; win- 
ners and losers standing together, and no one can tell the 
one from the other. 

UNCERTAIN DURATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL 

LIFE 
We shall assume that each man is married to the 
finest little woman in the world and that in each case 
there is a little growing family. This then is the proper 
time to call the attention of each and every one of those 
young men, and of the young women, to the uncertainty 
of the duration of an individual life. He should be in- 
structed, each in his own case, how to provide against 
that uncertainty. And, although he may not baffle Death 

10 



he can, if he so wills, establish economic independence 
for his family. 

PLAN TO ESTABLISH LIFE INSURANCE 
ESTATE EARLY IN CAREER 

Experience has told us repeatedly that there is 
only one, absolutely, sure way that this may be done. 
That way is to begin at an early age to establish an 
adequate life insurance estate. At age twenty-five the 
physical requirements are not severe and financial re- 
quirements are comparatively light. In adopting this 
plan a young man should act under the suggestion and 
guidance of a competent, trustworthy life insurance coun- 
selor. The establishment of such an estate becomes of 
the utmost importance, when we realize that the average 
young man has no means to support himself and family 
except his own personal ability to earn money. 

SHOULD ADD TO ESTATE AS INCOME 

INCREASES 
Inasmuch as he is still young and inexperienced he 
gets but a small salary or wage. Let him begin at once 
to build his life insurance estate in accordance with his 
means. A $5,000, a $2,000, or a $1,000 policy will lay the 
foundation of an estate which, if properly administered, 
will surely accomplish the purposes of his ambition. 
But with every increase of his income, and with every 
advance of his prosperity, he should be under an impelling 
obligation to his wife, to his children, and even to his 
own later years, to add to and enlarge his insurance 

It 



holdings. By so doing he will establish early in his 
life the mental attitude of considering the annual deposits 
he makes with his life insurance company as a life insur- 
ance estate and not as an element of expense, so much 
money spent, so much gone. 

INSURANCE ESTATE WILL TAKE CARE OF 
FAMILY AND SELF 

In the event of his life's work coming to a premature 
and sudden end, his family will be enabled to stay out 
of debt, to maintain its economic independence, and 
even to live comfortably. Should he survive to age 
sixty-five he will have created for himself an equity which 
will assure him of a serene and contented old age. But 
he should begin NOW. Because his health is such that 
he can easily fulfil the physical standards required by 
high grade life insurance companies. And with his grow- 
ing prosperity he should plan to put aside each year an 
ever increasing sum to add to his life insurance estate. 



12 



CHART II 





CHART II. 

TEN YEARS LATER 






































































































































I I I 






























































1 


□ 
□ . 

■ 3 

1C 


AGE 35 

5 HAVE DIED. 

HAVE BECOME WEALTHY. 

ARE IN GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES. 

■0 HAVE MODERATE RESOURCES. 

5 SHOW NO IMPROVEMENT. 
10 




What about the families of the five men whose work is 
ended? A life insurance estate of proper size will make it 
easy for the mother to maintain the family and to properly 
educate the children. 

COPYRIGHT 1918. WM. H. STANLEY 



14 



CHART II 
AGE THIRTY-FIVE 

TEN YEARS BRING CHANGES 

Because of youth and inexperience our young men, 
at age twenty-five, appeared to have very much the same 
characteristics. We could not then discover differences 
in capacity or possibilities; but ten years later, or at 
age thirty-five, we find that they may be classified into 
three small groups and one large group, which may be 
sub-divided again into two well defined parts. In the 
course of ten years characteristics have shown themselves 
and our young friends are well on the way either to suc- 
cess or to failure, each according to his possibilities and 
tendencies. 

EACH MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN 
SUCCESS OR FAILURE 

Let us remark in passing, that every one of these 
young men is the architect and builder of his own fortune. 
He has it in his power to make or to mar his future. He 
may not justly attribute his failure to blind fate or to 
chance. Neither can he attribute the success of those 
who have forged ahead and who have outstripped him 
in the race for "Success" to luck, to pull, or to some other 
external agency. Because if every one of these young 
fellows will exercise his intelligence, as well as the neces- 
sary determination and will power, there is no doubt 
that each may succeed and make for himself a valued 

15 



place in the community. We should always remember, 
however, that success is subjective and not objective. 
It is determined by what is within us and not by our 
surroundings. And while the measure of success may 
differ in degree, as well as in kind, all may, with the exer- 
cise of diligence and caution, avoid failure and defeat. 

FIVE HAVE DIED 

Our chart discloses that these young men have begun 
to pass through different experiences. The dull grey 
hand of death has come in and taken away five promising 
lives. 

TEN WEALTHY 

Success has thus early crowned the efforts of twenty. 
These twenty, as we shall see later, are in real peril, 
because it takes a steady head and a strong personality 
to withstand the flattery of early success. Ten of the 
twenty, we may consider as wealthy. These are sym- 
bolized by yellow, the color of gold. 

TEN RICH 

The remaining ten live in what may be termed easy 
circumstances as shown by the purple. This color also 
indicates that they too are able to wear purple, dress in 
fine linen and fare sumptuously every day. 

FORTY— MODERATE RESOURCES 
Seventy-five are working; supporting and taking 
care of themselves. Forty of these have moderate re- 
sources and may have a few, small outside investments. 

16 



In the heart of each of these men is the green of eternal 
hope that he will yet achieve success. They still expect 
that by a bold stroke, or through some clever maneuver, 
that they will ultimately bring about their economic in- 
dependence. 

THIRTY-FIVE SHOW NO IMPROVEMENT 

The other thirty-five also continue to hope. Although 
they are at age thirty-five and have been working ten 
years, as yet they show no improvement. So in order 
to distinguish them from the forty who are in fairly good 
circumstances, and have better prospects, we cast over 
the thirty-five a tinge of blue. That color here signifies 
the possibility of failure, the frustration of hopes, and a 
breaking down financially. The result will be economic 
dependence, a condition which no self respecting man 
can contemplate with indifference, and to escape which 
he will put forth every possible effort. 



17 



MANY A MAN HAS JOINED THE 
HOME DEFENSE LEAGUE ON THE 
IMPULSE OF PATRIOTISM, FOR 
WHICH HE SHOULD BE COMMENDED. 
AT THE SAME TIME MANY A MAN 
HAS FORGOTTEN THE DEFENSE OF 
HIS OWN HOME AGAINST THE 
STEALTHY ATTACK OF ECONOMIC 
DEPENDENCY. 



18 



CHART HI 



CHART III. 

TEN YEARS LATER 























































































































































































— 








rij^ife 













AGE 45 

ELEVEN MORE HAVE PASSED ON— TOTAL 16 

OF THE TWENTY WHO HAD PROPERTY 
ALL HAVE LOST THEIR ACCUMULA- 
TIONS EXCEPT FOUR. OF THESE, ONE 
IS WEALTHY 1 



THREE OTHERS ARE RICH 3 

STILL DEPENDENT ON THEIR SALARY, 

(But Without Other Resources) 65 



□ 



□ 



NO LONGER SELF-SUPPORTING. 

Illness, Accidents or Reverses) 



(Due to 



15 



100 



We should now have in operation 1 6 life insurance estates 
taking care of that many families. 

The survivors, who are able, should be putting aside at 
least 1 0% of their earnings to create a life insurance estate. 

COPYRIGHT 1918. WM. H. STANLEY 



20 



CHART III 
AGE FORTY-FIVE 

POSITION IN LIFE NOW ESTABLISHED 
Again we go forward ten years. These men having 
struggled with the vicissitudes and mutability of life 
what do we find? Our surviving young men are now 
at age forty-five. They have become somewhat fixed in 
their habits. Their position in life by this time is fairly 
well established. 

SIXTEEN HAVE PASSED ON 
We are told that eleven more have passed on, which 
makes a total of sixteen represented by the pallid shade 
of gray. 

HOW ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES 
We wonder what happened to the families of those 
sixteen men for whom life's affairs are closed. Were 
those brave little women well provided for through the 
means of an adequate life insurance estate? Did those 
mothers find their homes broken up, their children left 
with grandparents or relatives? Or were they obliged 
to put their little children into a public or a semi-public 
institution? Do the surviving widows belong to that 
great throng compelled to support themselves through 
their own efforts? 

A WIDOW'S HANDICAPS 
Should a woman be compelled to make such a ra- 
dical change in the manner of her living, along in the 

21 



fourth decade of her life, as a rule, she will find it pretty 
difficult to learn the ways and practices of the com- 
mercial world. She will probably find herself under a 
great handicap because there will be so many young 
girls just out of school looking for work. Their minds 
will be trained for business thinking. In addition to 
this, a woman approaching middle life is under a fur- 
ther disadvantage, coming as she inevitably does, into 
competition with a younger and perhaps a more attrac- 
tive woman just entering upon a business career. 

SIXTY-FIVE DEPENDENT ON OWN SALARY 

The large group, numbering sixty-five and indicated 
by the hopeful green, are the men who are still working 
and self supporting. This group is without any other 
resources, save their weekly or monthly salary. Each 
man in this large group is still hopeful, still ambitious and 
still expects to carry into effect the aspirations of his 
early youth. While it is true that none of them, as yet, 
has accumulated anything, each one still hopes to achieve 
his ambition,- to accumulate a fortune and thus become 
a man of substance. And finally he hopes to leave ample 
provision for his family, when his will shall be probated. 

FIFTEEN NO LONGER SELF-SUPPORTING 
This chart introduces us to a new class which we 
are told is no longer self supporting. A few in this class 
may still earn something, but, even so, they are not con- 
sidered as self supporting cases. Their condition of 
economic dependence may be due to illness, accident or 
reverses. We cannot discuss the causes of their col- 

22 



lapse. But we are compelled to notice the inexorable 
fact that at age forty-five, fifteen out of every one hun- 
dred young men have already suffered economic defeat. 
They are here indicated by the despondent blue. In most 
cases their financial condition will become worse rather 
than better, and for them the future holds but little 
promise. This accounts for ninety-six of our one hun- 
dred young men twenty years after starting out on 
their respective careers. 

FOUR HAVE MONEY 
The remaining small group is all that are left of the 
twenty who at age thirty-five had property. Sixteen of 
them have been unable to weather the storm and have 
lost their accumulations. Thus we have but four who 
either remain in possession of what they had or have 
acquired an estate for themselves. Of these four we 
may say that one still shows the gold of wealth, and 
three others are rich, as indicated by the purple. 

SUDDEN APPRECIATION OF LIFE INSURANCE 

ESTATE 

Some men by this time have acquired wisdom. They 
now appreciate the value of a life insurance estate. The 
advantages of such an estate are strongly desired for 
wife and children. They set out to create it but with 
many it is now too late. Life insurance companies de- 
cline many an applicant because of physical impairment. 
In many cases impairment was not even suspected to 
exist. Disappointment at being rejected is always keen, 
but it will not change the decision of the life insurance 
company. 

23 



A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY CAN- 
NOT BE SUBJECTED BY HEIRS TO 
THE TEST OF MENTAL COMPETENCY 
OF THE INSURED; NOR CAN THEY 
QUESTION ITS VALIDITY ON THE 
GROUNDS OF DURESS, UNDUE INFLU- 
ENCE OR FRAUD. 

BEFORE A WILL CAN BE AD- 
MITTED TO PROBATE IT CAN BE SUB- 
JECTED TO EVERY ONE OF THESE 
TESTS. 



24 



CHART IV 





CHART IV. 

TEN YEARS LATER 




• 
























































































































































































1 




















|— | AGE 55 

LJ 20 AT END OF LIFE'S WORK. 

1 1 1 HAS BECOME VERY RICH. 

LJ 3 ARE IN GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES. 

STILL HAVE SOME EARNING POWER. 

| J 46 (But Have Established No Estate). 

HAVE PRACTICALLY NO ECONOMIC 
L_J 30 VALUE. 

100 


Many of the 46 still working should be looking forward to 
maintaining themselves out of their own life insurance estate. 

COPYRIGHT 1918. WM. H. STANLEY 



26 



CHART IV 
AGE FIFTY-FIVE 

CRITICAL PERIOD OF LIFE 

This chart brings us to the critical period of life. 
Students of physiological laws tell us that at or about this 
age men begin to experience physical and mental changes. 
These changes may take place before or after age fifty- 
five, but they surely come in this decade. The memory 
may become less reliable. With some men business judg- 
ment, and the business faculties in general may be less 
keen than formerly. If an error of judgment or a false 
step should be committed at this period of life, it is 
extremely difficult to recover the losses usually resulting 
therefrom. 

TWENTY AT END OF LIFE'S WORK 

Our chart at age fifty-five discloses that twenty men 
have come to the end of life's work and effort. 

ONE RICH 
One has become very rich, although he may not be 
the same one who was rich at age forty-five. 

INDIVIDUALS CHANGE BUT RELATIVE 

NUMBER IN EACH GROUP REMAINS 

THE SAME 

In the rise and fall of business careers there is bound 
to be a constant shifting of men and many changing con- 
ditions. In this group of one hundred men we have been 
studying, some will have accumulated riches and will 

27 



have lost them again. Therefore, we do not pretend to 
say that our rich individuals always remain the same. 
Some men who had wealth will be represented by the 
fading gray. But the relative number of men who com- 
mand money, and of those who die, and of those who 
labor in vain, remains about the same. Our original 
article tells us that of the three who were wealthy at 
age forty-five one lost; but of the sixty-five who were 
working at that age, another became wealthy, so one off- 
sets the other and the relative figures still remain 
unchanged. 

THREE IN GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES 

This leaves three of our young men in what we 
speak of as good or easy circumstances. 

FORTY-SIX STILL WORKING 

Forty-six still have some earning power but they 
have established no general estate. As a consequence, 
instead of leaving their families comfortable, well and 
happy, they will leave a wife and children badly off, to 
suffer a continuous cramping poverty. 

THIRTY DEPENDENT 

The dependent class has increased from fifteen to 
thirty — an increase of one hundred per cent in ten years. 
While some of these thirty men may be able to do light 
work, they are, as a rule, replaced by younger men. We 
now find that at this age they have very little, if any, 
economic value. Their hopes and dreams have failed 
to materialize. They have fallen far short of their pos- 
sibilities. The goal of their ambition is still unattained 
and at this period of life is practically unattainable. 

28 



CHART V 





CHART V. 

TEN YEARS LATER 
















































































































































































































|— i AGE 65 

1 1 36 GONE. 

1 1 1 RICH. 

L— J 4 WELL TO DO. 

SELF-SUPPORTING. (But are Compelled to Work 
1 J J for a Living). 

FAILED OF SUCCESS. (Dependent Upon Their 

1 Children, Relatives or upon Charity. 
1 mi. J 54 Having No Economic value). 

Too 


If the 54 who are dependent had been properly guided 
during their working years, this group at this age would have 
been practically nil. 

COPYRIGHT 1918, WM. H. STANLEY 



30 



CHART V 
AGE SIXTY-FIVE 

AT THIS AGE MEN HAVE PASSED PEAK OF 

CAREER 

Most men, by this time, have passed the peak of 
their earning power and are on the declining side of 
the curve which indicates their economic value. This 
chart shows us a startling truth, which is, that the two 
groups, one representing those whose life has drawn to 
a close and the other group of growing dependents have 
absorbed nearly all other groups. 

FEW MEN BECOME RICH AFTER SIXTY 
It is a matter of common knowledge that if a man 
does not establish his general estate, or his insurance 
estate, before he attains age sixty-five, the chances are 
that he never will. We know, as a matter of observation, 
that very few men accumulate wealth after age sixty. 

THIRTY-SIX GONE 

The status of our one hundred young men, forty 
years from the starting point, is as follows: Since we 
looked at the last chart, sixteen more have come to the 
final parting. We now have a total of thirty-six who 
are gone. 

HOW ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES 
We may well ask, what did those thirty-six men 
leave behind them? How did they leave those thirty- 

31 



six widows or those thirty-six families? To be sure, 
it is possible that there may be a very few families 
that have sufficient money to be economically inde- 
pendent. But the probabilities are that unless the de- 
parted bread-winner left a life insurance estate of suffi- 
cient size proper provision was not made for his widow 
and his orphans. And unless they were so provided for 
they too may be in the ranks of economic dependents. 

ONE WEALTHY 

One only of our original one hundred still has an 
accumulation of gold. He may be a millionaire. 

FOUR HAVE COMPETENCE 

Four have a competence and are considered men 
of affairs. One of those who lost everything before he 
was forty-five has regained his hold and has joined the 
ranks of the rich or wealthy. 

FIVE STILL WORKING 

Five are still working. In their struggle for economic 
independence they are supported by that eternal hope 
for wealth and success that every man carries with him 
so long as he lives. He hopes even against the experience 
of forty years that all will work out right for him. Like 
Micawber in the story, he is still "waiting for something 
to turn up." He expects that when that mysterious some- 
thing does "turn up" it will relieve him of further anxie- 
ty and want. 

32 



FIFTY-FOUR DEPENDENT 

Fifty-four, who forty years ago were young men 
of promise, are now dependents. Their maintenance 
comes from children, if there are any. If there are none, 
these men must look to relatives or friends for help. 
Those sources of support failing, they must inevitably 
become poorer and poorer. They will go down in the 
world and eventually we will find them in such places 
as homes maintained by fraternal societies or religious 
organizations or other Old Folks Homes. And what is 
even more depressing, a few will be forced to accept the 
county house or some other public institution for the 
poor, as a last abiding place. Thus will end a life in 
utter and hopeless defeat. 



33 



AT THE EVENTIDE OF LIFE, 
NOTHING IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO 
COMFORT AND HAPPINESS THAN 
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ONE IS PRO- 
VIDED WITH A GUARANTEED IN- 
COME. 

A LIFE INSURANCE ESTATE IS 
THE PROPER SOURCE OF SUCH AN 
INCOME. 



34 



CHART VI 





CHART VI. 

TEN YEARS LATER 












































































































































*! 










'"• ;Y-.'v : 


















1 


• 


























p3^£?ct5 








', v **-;..-"■' 










JOINEl 

60 Lef 

OF TH 
WHI 

COMFC 


AGE 7! 

D THE GREAT MAJOR] 

t No Estate) 

E 5 RICH MEN, 2 HAV1 
CH LEAVES— WEALTHS 

■^RTART.Y WRIT. FIXER 


[TY— (Of whom 

6. 

E LOST OUT 

r 

) 


5 n 


DEPENDENTS. (95% of these will 
to Defray Funeral Expenses, Unless In< 


^ot Have Enough 
jured) J 1 

Tcn 


■ 




Had 100 young men followed the suggestion of a capable 
life insurance man, this chart would show 63 families for 
which careful provision had been made, as well as 37 survi- 
vors, able to take care of themselves. 

COPYRIGHT 1918, WM. H. STANLEY 



36 



CHART VI 
AGE SEVENTY-FIVE 

LAST TEN YEARS OF OUR STUDY 
The life story of our one hundred average men is 

almost at an end. 

We now come to the last ten years of our study. 

Our chart shows the survivors at age seventy-five. But 

we should note the fact that there are only thirty-seven 

survivors. 

SIXTY-THREE JOINED THE GREAT MAJORITY 

Sixty-three have joined the great majority and for 
them life has run its course. The increasing number 
represented by the colorless gray reminds us that life is 
a stern battle in which there is but one victor, "Death," 
and to him we can never administer defeat. 

Sixty of our departed friends who were so hopeful 
and so ambitious to accomplish in their lifetime that 
which should be really worth while, left nothing that 
could be designated as an estate. 

THREE WITH MONEY 

Of the five men who were rich at sixty-five, two have 
lost out, which leaves us three who can make both ends 
meet; one of them is wealthy and two are comfortably 
well fixed. 

THIRTY-FOUR DEPENDENT 

The remaining thirty-four have light purses and 
empty pockets. We represent them by the despondent 

37 



blue. They are still dependent for food, clothes and 
lodging on their children, friends or charity, or they are 
in public institutions. From now on these old men will 
die off rapidly. No one expects that their financial con- 
dition at age seventy-five will improve. Eventually, at 
the close of life, when the final curtain is rung, ninety- 
five per cent of them will not have sufficient means to 
defray their funeral expenses, unless insured. And ex- 
perience has told us over and over again, that this is not 
probable. 



38 



SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM 
OUR STUDY 

Such a study of the life experiences of one hundred 
young men is a somewhat melancholy proceeding. And 
yet, it is not without value, for it contains many striking 
lessons. It indicates clearly why every man should prac- 
tice THRIFT all his life. It points out, in an unanswer- 
able manner, why he should begin early to establish an 
adequate life insurance estate. 

DUTY OF LIFE INSURANCE MEN 
Therefore, life insurance men should carefully talk 
to and educate the young man of the day. These figures 
which are properly authenticated and relatively correct 
should be so strongly and deeply impressed on him that 
he can never forget them. 

FAMILY KEPT FROM DISTRESS 

The young man should be shown how he may avoid 
the possibility of any of his family becoming an economic 
dependent. Through the means of his life insurance es- 
tate, provision may be made to prevent his family's 
suffering distress and privation, should he, unexpectedly 
and prematurely be taken away. 

BUSINESS SAVED FROM RUIN 
Coupled with that is the further fact that should he 
be in business for himself, and during his later life meet 
with reverses, which might overwhelm him, his life 
insurance estate may be the means of saving him from 
disastrous and total ruin. 

39 



SELF MADE COMFORTABLE 

Should he survive to age sixty-five, his life insurance 
equities may be converted into an annuity which will 
keep him comfortable and happy for the remainder of 
his life. 

ALL INTERESTS PROTECTED BY LIFE 
INSURANCE ESTATE 

So that the three great interests of a man's life; his 
family that he loves more than himself; his business to 
which he devotes so much of his time and energy; and 
finally all of his later years, that he should not neglect 
nor regard with indifference, are protected through the 
establishment and building up of an adequate life insur- 
ance estate. 

ANY GOOD COMPANY WILL GIVE SERVICE 

Any good life insurance company will assist him to 
distribute his estate in such a way that his family need 
never know want; his children need never go hungry; 
and they need never be cold for want of proper clothing. 

LIFE INSURANCE THE ONLY RAY OF HOPE 

While the mere economic study of our figures may 
be sombre, and may cast a shadow over our work, there 
is a strong ray of hope which breaks through the cloud 
because we know that the gloom can be dispelled through 
the means of an adequate, well planned life insurance 
estate. 



40 



CHART VII 



CHART VII. 

GENERAL ESTATES LEFT BY 100 MEN 


[ 




r 










































































































































































































$10,000 

$2,000 
PRODI 


„ \ WEALTHY 

AND OVER 3{ 

J FAIRLY 

\ RICH 

TO $10,000 1. 

JCING NO INCOME 8. 

101 


B 

3 


Life insurance would have established 1 00 income bearing 
estates. 

COPYRIGHT 1916, WM. H. STANLEY 



42 



CHART VII 

GENERAL ESTATES LEFT BY 
EVERY 100 MEN 

ONE ESTATE REALLY RICH 

Just two points more are covered by the statistics 
as published by the American Bankers Association. The 
article goes on to say that the Surrogates' Courts give 
evidence that out of every one hundred men that die 
only three leave an estate of $10,000 or over. We shall 
again use the color of gold to symbolize the affluent, 
millionaire estate, of which there is but one. 

TWO FAIRLY RICH 

The purple represents two that, while not so large, 
are still fairly rich. 

FIFTEEN MODERATE SIZED ESTATES 

Fifteen others range from $2,000 to $10,000, with a 
majority nearer the smaller sum. 

EFFECT OF SMALL ESTATE ON FAMILY 

A family accustomed to easy living suddenly being 
compelled to finance itself with the slender income which 
a small estate affords, will find such an income insuffi- 
cient to provide even the mere necessaries of life. For 
many a family a small estate means reduced and perhaps 
straitened circumstances. 

43 



A HOPEFUL GROUP 

But the families represented by this group hope and 
expect that their small estates will grow; and that 
all will turn out well for them. So we color this section 
green to signify their hopes and expectations. 

EIGHTY-TWO ESTATES WITHOUT ASSETS 

That leaves eighty-two estates with no income pro- 
ducing properties, those with no tangible assets. In many 
a case it is scarcely worth the time and expense, to insti- 
tute the legal proceedings necessary to put the estate 
through the surrogate's court. 

A VISION NEEDED 

It is not overstating the case to say that a large 
percentage of those eighty-two men who left no general 
estate, with some effort might, have left a fairly good 
sized life insurance estate. All that was needed for 
those men, early in their career, was a vision. Some one 
should have shown them what a life insurance estate 
would do and how to create it. Had a skilled life insur- 
ance counselor planted in the minds of those men such 
a vision — being young men of courage and determination 
they might easily have translated it into a reality. 



44 



CHART VIII 



] 


CHART VIII. 

FINANCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF ONE 
HUNDRED WIDOWS 
















































































































































































































GOOD 
CES. 


OR COMFORTABLE CIRCUMSTAN- 
1 


H 


OBLIG 

Life) 


ED TO WORK. (Often Lack Comforts of 

4 


/□ 


NEEDY CI 

On Charity' 


RCUMSTANCES. (Largely Dependent 
3 


5 n 




Toi 





For the man with a family, a life insurance estate, care- 
fully created and properly distributed, is absolutely essential, 
if he desires to have his family live in "Good and comfortable 
circumstances. 

COPYRIGHT 1918. WM. H. STANLEY 



46 



CHART VIII 

FINANCIAL CONDITION OF 
100 WIDOWS 

HUSBAND'S ESTATE IS MAINTENANCE OF 
FAMILY 
When we speak of an estate, we naturally think of 
some one who derives benefit therefrom. As our last 
chart showed us the number and classification of estates, 
we shall now consider the mothers and children de- 
pendent on those several kinds of estates. We have there- 
fore one hundred mothers left alone, each with a small 
family. What about the financial circumstances of one 
hundred women each of whom must look to the estate 
left her by a departed husband as a source of mainte- 
nance? We should always bear in mind that the money 
and other property left by a husband is usually all that 
a wife has for that purpose. 

EIGHTEEN WIDOWS COMFORTABLE 
As there were but three estates of over $10,000 and 
fifteen from $2,000 to $10,000, eighteen families there- 
fore are in good or comfortable circumstances. Although 
a widow with a family dependent on an estate of less 
than $10,000, is far from being in "good or comfortable 
circumstances." 

FORTY-SEVEN WIDOWS COMPELLED TO 
WORK 

That leaves eighty-two women with no income pro- 
ducing estate. This number is divided into two groups, 

47 



forty-seven of whom are obliged to work. We are told 
that many of these women often lack the barest necessi- 
ties of life. But because they are able to earn something 
for themselves they too are hopeful that something may 
happen which will relieve their needy circumstances. 
These are indicated by the hopeful green. But it is a 
vain expectation, a fool's paradise, and sad disappoint- 
ment awaits most of them. 

THIRTY-FIVE WIDOWS DEPENDENT 

The other thirty-five, symbolized by the gloomy 
blue, are stripped of possessions, destitute, in absolute 
want and penury. They must depend on charity for their 
living. 



48 



LIFE INSURANCE ESTATE WILL FURNISH 
MONEY FOR FAMILY 

Here we come back again to the all important value 
of a life insurance estate as the surest means to provide 
for these eighty-two moneyless women. Surely it would 
have taken but little effort on the part of every one of 
those husbands, while he was at the height of his earning 
power, to provide a life insurance estate of at least $10,000. 
Had they all done so we would have one hundred families 
in "good or comfortable circumstances" instead of 
eighteen. 

LIFE INSURANCE MEN HAVE GREAT 
RESPONSIBILITY 

It is therefore the all compelling duty of life insur- 
ance men to go on with their work and redouble their 
efforts. Upon them is placed a great responsibility. They 
have unlimited opportunity to help solve many social 
and economic problems. They should make every young 
man see more and more what life insurance has to offer 
in order to prevent and ward off this possible catastrophe 
to his family, that of becoming economically dependent. 

SOLEMN QUESTIONS 

How can any man of intelligence refuse to accept 
this program of thrift and precaution? He can, if he 
will use his eyes, see all around him the defenseless and 
forlorn families of men, who either refused to establish 
a life insurance estate ; or because of physical impairment 
could not establish one. Does he want to be in either 

49 



class? Will he cheerfully and deliberately refuse to es- 
tablish a life insurance estate and thus expose his wife 
and his children to this all too common danger? Can 
he contemplate with a happy frame of mind that family 
of his reduced to the very last extremity? How can he 
look frankly in the eyes of wife and children and know 
in his heart that he has made no provision for their well- 
being should he be taken away permanently and without 
warning? 

THE ANSWER 

On the other hand, after he has planned for the 
creation of an adequate life insurance estate and pro- 
vided for its proper distribution, will not his whole life 
be more contented ? He will then know that no matter 
when his uncertain tenure of life may come to an end, his 
dear one will never be placed between the hammer of 
temptation and the anvil of poverty. It will be a source 
of great satisfaction to him to realize that his wife and his 
children are in the safe keeping and wardship of his life 
insurance estate, which is impregnable in its solvency, 
certain in its operation and equitable in its distribution. 



50 



